If you are looking for more information on medications or injections for your chronic headaches there is plenty of information elsewhere. Let’s explore chronic headaches in a different way. You have plenty of options when it comes to medications.
Headaches as well as every other chronic pain and illness is a sign of an imbalance that the body has been unable to correct on its own. What if you could support your body in correcting your headaches and reduce or eliminate use of dangerous medications?
Dangers of Even Over-the-Counter Pain Meds
We live in a culture where the consumption of all kinds of medications has been normalized. According to Harvard University prescription drugs are a multi-billion dollar industry that promotes treatments you may or may not need. Did you know that the United States and New Zealand are the only countries that allow drug makers to market prescription drugs direct to consumers?
Take a quick look at some of the potential dangers of even the most popular over-the-counter pain medications as well as prescription drugs:
- Acetaminophen / Tylenol: liver damage, the leading cause of acute liver failure
- NSAIDS like ibuprofen: increased heart attacks and strokes, bruising and bleeding, stomach ulcers
- Prescription Pain Meds: blurred vision, constipation, fatigue, headaches, insomnia, mood changes
I hope it didn’t escape you that a potential effect of prescription pain medication is headaches. Years ago I had a neurologist working in my office and many of the patients with headaches that he examined were experiencing what he called ‘Analgesic Rebound Headaches’.
Download my Free Guide: Complete Headache Relief Guide.
Pain medications are intended to be a very short term solution to a transitory problem. Using pain medications regularly for chronic headaches is inviting a host of problems, including perpetuating the very headaches you are taking them for.
Working with the Body for Headache Relief
When headaches or any other condition reaches the chronic stage it means you have been experiencing it for a minimum of 3 to 6 months. Stop for a minute and consider what that might mean.
Your body is continually working to maintain balance that we call homeostasis, as well as repair and heal tissues. Chronic headaches are a sign of an imbalance that the body is unable to correct. You can always resort to pain medication so let’s look in another direction.
My personal experience as well as my experience with thousands of patients over more than 35 years is if we can support the body in returning to balance then homeostasis and healing will return.
I was in a head-on car collision when I was 18 yrs old. My head struck and broke the windshield but it wasn’t until 6 months later that I started to experience a laundry list of chronic issues. I had headaches, neck and shoulder pain, fatigue, difficulty sleeping, trouble concentrating and more. My experience with chiropractic changed the course of my life.
5 Core Components to a Successful Chronic Headache Program
As I said, chronic headaches are a sign of an imbalance or interference that the body has been unable to correct. Here are the 5 core components that I’ve identified that are critical to successful headache treatment.
Core Component #1: Upper Cervical Spine. The upper neck is important for several reasons. It is home to the brain stem which is the center for regulating all body functions. Tension and pressure on the brain stem causes an imbalance of the Autonomic Nervous System. This results in an overactivity of the Sympathetic “Fight-or-Flight” System that causes increased tension and pain through the neck and shoulders, increased inflammation, poor quality sleep, and over time fatigue.
This also causes a corresponding reduction in activity of the Vagus Nerve. The Vagus Nerve is responsible for coordinating the functions that support overall health and well-being. A healthy Vagus Nerve supports:
- Lowered heart rate and blood pressure
- Muscle relaxation
- Rest and recovery
- Healthy digestion
- Immune function
- Quality Sleep
The upper cervical spine is also where 3 pairs of nerves exit the neck and travel into the head. There are 3 of these suboccipital nerves on the right side of the top of the neck and 3 on the left. They travel to the back of the head, temples, and forehead. When these nerves get pinched or irritated they cause the classic “Cervicogenic” headaches.
The goal is to balance the upper neck, restore proper motion, and correct nerve tension and interference in this area.
Core Component #2: Cervical Curve. The average human head weighs 10 to 11 pounds. In order to balance that weight on the thin neck it’s important to have a curve facing forward. When the cervical curve straightens out it does a couple of things:
- Every inch the head moves forward is like adding another 10 to 11 lbs the neck muscles must hold up.
- The neck starts to lose motion putting more stress on the small joints and causing the development of arthritis.
- The muscles of the neck develop chronic tension and spasm that can be a cause of headaches as well as aggravating tension on the brain stem and suboccipital nerves.
A successful headache treatment program in Grass Valley or anywhere must address the cervical curve.
Core Component #3: Joint Mobility. The motion of all of the joints of your spine and pelvis is critical to managing both your headaches as well as any other chronic pain. The function of joints is to provide movement. When that movement is restricted it causes a chain reaction of joint pressure, nerve irritation, muscle tension and spasm, and the development of arthritis.
The motion of the entire spine is important and the neck is especially important as noted in the first two components.
Core Component #4: Structural Balance. Your brain wants your eyes to always be horizontal to the horizon. It also wants you level and balanced to minimize the effort to counteract the forces of gravity. When your pelvis is higher on one side it causes a chain reaction of compensatory muscle spasm all the way up the spine to the base of the skull. This results in an unlevel head as well.
Imbalance from the pelvis to the skull increases the tension on the cervical spine and brainstem and is a key factor in chronic headaches. Remember the goal of assisting the body in returning to a state of balance.
Core Component #5: Vagus Nerve Activation. Components one through four have the effect of causing an imbalance in the Autonomic Nervous System. This is the part of the nervous system that runs your body below your conscious awareness.
The Sympathetic “Fight-or-Flight” System becomes overactive and this causes a range of detrimental effects:
- Increased muscle tension and pain
- Increased inflammation
- Disturbed quality sleep, recovery, and healing
- Increased stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline
When the Sympathetic System becomes overactive it suppresses the activity and function of the Vagus Nerve. The Vagus Nerve is critical to your overall health. A healthy vibrant Vagus Nerve will:
- Lower inflammation and pain
- Relax muscle tension and spasm
- Improve immune function and healing
- Support quality sleep
- Lower heart rate and blood pressure
- Lower stress hormones
Each of the first 4 components will help reduce tension, irritation, and interference to the Autonomic Nervous System. They will help reduce the activity of the “Fight-or-Flight” system but even after that it is critical to help support the return of healthy Vagus Nerve activity. The longer you have been under stress the more you will need to support the Vagus Nerve. Your stress likely started well before the onset of your history of headaches.
There are 3 basic categories of activities that support Vagus Nerve activity:
- Environmental: relaxing and soothing environments help activate the Vagus Nerve. Nature has been shown to have a profound effect on the Vagus Nerve.
- Embodied: this involves your body and ranges from movement to touch to breathing practices. I emphasize the use of breath in my practice as it can be done almost anytime and any place.
- Relational: human connection with those you trust, love, and enjoy is activating for the Vagus Nerve. Think of those people whose company always has you feeling safe, relaxed, and valued.
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